Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-30

now I've got nouseheePci 'ha' wiz
astonish the county. a regular
walking fashion-plate What L am to
do Jupiter knows F; | don't"
In my distress ! decided 20 try again
the vintage OF the Douro.
".
A couple of months went by, during
which time ! became accustomed 10
the new splendor of my housekeeper.
Somehow, it suited her better than the
everlasting black. and-white get-up. 1t
was pleasure to look at her, che was
so sweet and fair to the eye; and she
still remained the perfect housekeepar.
NV friends soon got tired of chatting
me. except Sir Giles. And he made up
for it by behaving very handsomely al
ways 10 Christine, for whom he had
apparently conceived great liking.
D.. AS for Christine's lad, Chandos, the
Young dog took a great fancy to me.
and We were much together. | bought
him a pony no larger than good-sized
Newfoundland and taught him to ride.
The lad seemed to be chock-full of fine
instincts and aptitudes, and took like
hero 10 the saddle, the rod and line,
and the water. As for the bees, be-
lieve he had got name for nearly
every one of them. He would call
them and they would come TO him. He
loved them, and fancy they loved
him. He was never happier than when
they were playing and humming about
him. / became much attached to him.
Things were in this condition when
one day early in September Christine
said to me 81 should like, sir, to go
up to London for few days if You can
spare me-"
"Ob, certainly. When would you
like to start 2"
"In the morning, if possible. My
only sister is sailing for India in few
days, and / have to take Chandos."
81 think you had better leave the
boy here. / will look after him
"Oh, but he is going, too, sir.
"Going-where ?"
"With his mother to India. She
has decided little hurriedly ; l only
got her letter"
"What in the world do you mean !?
You are not going to India -? "
"Oh, no." she answered, with q
laugh.
"But you said he was going with his
mother? Are not you his mother "
"Oh, dear, no. And yet in sense
am. l am his godmother, and have
bad the care Of him since he was a
baby"
Didn't you tell me he was your son
when you first came?" / gasped.
"Indeed did not, sir.
"Well, anyway, L took him to be
your son."
"ADd you also thought my hair was
turning gray, sir" she answered soft
", with most ludicrous note of re-
proach in her sweet voice. | laughed
outright.
"Well, since you are not a mother
perhaps you are not widow ?" | said
bitterly.
"a widow? No, sir; | am not"
GOOD heavens Have you ever been
married. may | ask ?" | cried, with a
painful sense Of the unrelability OF
things in general.
"No, sir l have never been mar
RED"
l looked at her in silence. Her eyes
were downcast, and her face suffused
with bushes. had right, of course,
10 be very angry; but-the quality of
mercy is not strained She never looked
more picturesque than she did at that
moment.
After a silence of marked duration |
said: Il believe l advertised for a
widow and child, did / not ?"
"Not exactly, sir. You said you
would not object to widow with one
child, which is, l think, a different
thing. You assumed that was a widow
and that Chandos was my child" she
answered gently and in tone that sug-
gested that she was sorry for me and
would not press the point.
saw a smile lurking in the corners
of her month. l did hope she would not
laugh right out at me, for in that case
/ had a sensation which told me plainly
enough l should join in the laughter.
"Still, you will admit" | said
gravely, "that you gave me, or al
lowed me to receive, shall / say, the
impression that you were widow with
a child, and you allowed me to remain
under that false impression. I might
not have engaged You had known the
real truth"
She hesitated little before she said,
81 thought from your advertisement
that probably you preferred a widow,
and, as / had the care of Chandos,
thought it a very favorable opportu-
nifty. Widows with one child are not
often in request, sir. l wanted to be
free 1 was tired of living on my bro
Tiers bounty. AS brother [ do not
think the Colonel is a success"
"Is Colonel Campion your bro
ther ?"
"Yes, sir. my only brother"
"The brute !"
"No, not brute an insect
wasp. But there, must not forget he
is my brother and l really think ne
borrows his sting from his wife. Will
you forgive me, sir, for having de-
ceiyed you? l had heard of Urochs
Chace, and I thought should be hap
py here, and-and-I was not happy
with my"
"Fraternal wasp. l understand.
Have you been happy here ?"
There was no installing the express
sion that swept across her face.
"Yes, every hour of the day. You
have been so kind, sir"
"Ah, then, can afford to forgive
you, and do. For a punishment you
will still remain Mrs. Campion."
OF course l had to let Sir Giles know
how things stood and a pretty piece
of fun he made of it.
"Gad, but I'm inclined to marry
her for her wit !" he said more than
once.
L did not, however, anticipate any
such piece of leyity on his part, seeing
that he had been widower many years,
and had at home a couple of handsome
grown-up daughters who would, ques.
tionless, resent the intrusion of q
young stepmother. But one never
knows what man will do when pretty
and witty woman is abroad, except thai
he is tolerably certain to make a fool oil
himself, more or less.
1t was some weeks after Chandos hal